THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 7:00 PM CET
U.S. Demands Full Dismantling of Iranian Regime’s Nuclear Program, Says National Security Adviser
The Trump administration has intensified its stance against the Iranian regime, with National Security Adviser Mike Waltz declaring on CBS’s Face the Nation that the regime in Iran is closer than ever to strategic collapse. Waltz held the clerical dictatorship directly responsible for the escalating violence by its regional proxies, including the Houthis, Hezbollah, and the Assad regime.
“We’ve hit their [Houthis’] headquarters, communications nodes, weapons factories,” Waltz said, adding that the Houthis are armed with “some of the most sophisticated air defenses, all provided by Iran.” He emphasized the toll on U.S. shipping, citing that 75% of U.S.-flagged vessels now avoid the Suez Canal due to Houthi attacks—an outcome he attributed to Tehran’s direct support.
When asked about the Trump administration’s outreach to Iran through a letter proposing a nuclear verification program, Waltz clarified the U.S. position: “Full dismantlement. Iran has to give up its program in a way that the entire world can see.” He warned that a nuclear-armed Iran would trigger a regional arms race and insisted that “all options are on the table.”
Waltz noted that Iran is in “the worst place it has been… since 1979,” citing Israeli strikes on Iranian air defense systems and setbacks to its proxy networks. While acknowledging some form of communication from Iran in response to Trump’s letter, Waltz refused to confirm any formal engagement, reiterating that diplomacy will only proceed on Washington’s terms.
The hardline rhetoric marks a significant departure from previous administrations. “This isn’t some kind of tit-for-tat,” Waltz said. “This is the full program. Give it up, or there will be consequences.”
The U.S. has also accused the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of working with criminal networks, including Mexican cartels, to target American interests—part of what the administration calls a “proxy warfare strategy.”
UPDATE: 1:30 PM CET
Iran Must Look Forward – Not Back to The Shah’s Dictatorship
The recent meeting between the President of the Norwegian Parliament and Reza Pahlavi in the United States has sparked strong reactions among many in Norway. The question is: Who exactly is Reza Pahlavi, what does he envision for Iran’s future, and how does he plan to achieve it?
Reza Pahlavi is the eldest son of Iran’s last Shah, who was overthrown during the 1979 revolution. According to the constitution at the time, the Shah was considered the “Shadow of God on Earth” and had the final say in all matters. In 1975, he established a one-party system in which anyone who disagreed with him had to either leave the country or risk imprisonment.
The following year, Amnesty International published a damning report on systematic torture in the Shah’s prisons. According to the report, the secret police, SAVAK, employed widespread beatings, flogging, electric shocks, nail and tooth extractions, and rape against political prisoners—whose numbers ranged at times between 25,000 and 100,000. Amnesty described Iran under the Shah as one of the world’s worst human rights violators.
UPDATE: 11:30 AM CET
Yemen’s Houthis Report Fresh US Airstrikes on Al-Hudaydah Airport, Marib Province
The Houthi group said Saturday that new US airstrikes targeted the Al Hudaydah International Airport in western Yemen and Marib province in the east.
“A new American aggression targeted Al Hudaydah Airport with three airstrikes,” Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah TV wrote on X.
The channel later said five additional airstrikes targeted the Majzar district in Marib province. The broadcaster did not provide details about casualties or damage from the attacks. US President Donald Trump said last week he had ordered a “decisive and powerful” attack against the Houthis.
UPDATE: 9:00 AM CET
Free Iran Interparliamentary Committee Strongly Condemns Smear Campaign Against Maryam Rajavi
The Inter-Parliamentary Committee for a Free Iran, comprising Senators and Members of Parliament from nearly all political parties in the Italian Parliament, strongly condemns the defamation campaign targeting Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, which recently appeared in the French press.
“We express our outrage at the ongoing campaign of disinformation and hatred against the Iranian Resistance, which in recent days has culminated in yet another act of slander. On March 18, the satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaîné published a report filled with accusations against Maryam Rajavi—allegations that were thoroughly investigated and proven unfounded more than a decade ago. This pattern reflects a deliberate strategy orchestrated by the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence—sanctioned by the European Union since 2019—to discredit voices of dissent beyond Iran’s borders.”
How Iran Arms, Trains and Directs Yemen’s Houthi Rebels to Challenge the US
With its proxies Hamas and Hezbollah now diminished and cut of from resupplies, Yemen’s Houthis are now Iran’s last effective weapon against President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure ” policy. And global trade is in the crosshairs. It is the new frontline of a bitter proxy war between the US and Iran and is already holding one of the world’s most important shipping routes to ransom. With the demise of Hamas and Hezbollah, Yemen’s Ansarallah – better known as the Houthis – now represent Tehran’s last effective weapon against President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure “ policy.
Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khatemei defiantly denied that the Houthis were a proxy following last weekend’s US air strikes. But intelligence from opposition group PMOI-MEK/NCRI inside Iran shows this is far from true. Considered a motley militia until Yemen’s 2014 Civil War, Houthis now command a sophisticated arsenal of hypersonic anti-ship ballistic and cruise missiles, aerial and maritime Kamikaze drones, and guidance systems.
The Case for Triggering the UN Snapback Mechanism on The Iranian Regime’s Nuclear Program
In her Nowruz speech, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, emphasized the urgency of invoking the UN “snapback” mechanism against the Iranian regime’s nuclear weapons program, stating: “In the face of the regime’s malign activities, the international community must no longer delay the activation of the snapback mechanism. This regime is a threat to global peace and security and must be placed under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter. The ultimate solution to the mullahs’ terrorism, warmongering, and nuclear weapons program is the regime’s overthrow—a task that is the responsibility of the Iranian people through resistance, uprising, and the Army of Freedom.”
Ten years ago, during the time of the nuclear deal known as the JCPOA (July 14, 2015), Maryam Rajavi had also warned: “circumventing the six UN Security Council resolutions and an unsigned agreement, which lacks the requirements of an official international treaty, would neither block the mullahs’ pathways to deception nor their access to a nuclear bomb.”
Iran’s 2025 Minimum Wage Increase: A Deceptive Victory for Workers
As the Iranian New Year approached, the Supreme Labor Council once again set workers’ wages, effectively silencing any opportunity for protest or negotiation by the labor force—the very group that performs the most work while earning the least. According to the Council’s decision, the minimum wage for workers will increase by 45% in 2025, while salaries for other labor categories will see a 32% rise. Consequently, the daily minimum wage was set at 3.46M tomans, the household consumption allowance at 2.2M tomans, and the housing allowance remained unchanged at 900K tomans per month. Additionally, the marriage allowance was set at 500K tomans.
Despite this nominal increase, the reality for workers remains bleak. The regime’s Minister of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare, Ahmad Meydari, sought to portray the wage hike as a significant achievement, claiming that wages had risen from 7.1M to 10.4M tomans. However, he conspicuously omitted any mention of the real costs of living, including housing, healthcare, education, and transportation.
Political Prisoner Azar Korvandi, 60, Denied Medical Care in Evin Prison
Reports indicate a deterioration in the health condition of political prisoner Azar Korvandi Mousazadeh, 60 years old, held in Evin Prison. Despite her critical medical condition, she has been denied hospital transfer and access to specialized treatment. Ms. Korvandi suffers from a herniated cervical disc, and doctors have stressed the urgent need for surgery. The pain has radiated to her right shoulder, making it difficult for her to turn her head. Despite this, she is still deprived of essential medical treatment.
In addition to her spinal condition, Azar Korvandi suffers from heart disease and, due to a history of cancer, requires regular medical checkups. Nevertheless, prison authorities continue to deny her access to proper medical care.
Warnings About Iran’s Drought Crisis Coinciding with World Water Day
Several Iranian media outlets, marking World Water Day, reported a significant decline in groundwater resources and reservoir levels, as well as the ongoing water crisis and drought. The Minister of Energy warned of a water crisis in the provinces of Isfahan, Tehran, Razavi Khorasan, and Yazd. Abbas Aliabadi, Iran’s Minister of Energy, stated on Saturday, March 22, that five consecutive years of drought have led to a decline in the country’s water reserves. He emphasized the importance of implementing water consumption management programs and water recycling initiatives, which are currently on the Ministry of Energy’s agenda.
Nearly three decades ago, the United Nations designated March 22 as World Water Day to raise awareness about sustainable water resource management and addressing water-related crises.
A Look at the Situation of Political Prisoners on Death Row – Part 2
The Iranian regime continues its relentless campaign of oppression, executions, and unjust trials. While the international community demands respect for human rights and an end to political executions, the treatment of political prisoners in Iran reveals a judicial system that serves as a tool of repression against dissidents and activists. Death sentences are issued not based on justice but through fabricated security-related cases and forced confessions.
This report is the second installment in a special series on political prisoners sentenced to death in Iran. The first issue covered the cases of Behrouz Ehsani Eslamloo and Mehdi Hassani, two prisoners currently awaiting execution in the special ward for death row inmates.
Gilaki Poet Peyman Farahavar Held Without Charge for Over Seven Months in Rasht Prison
Gilaki poet and political prisoner Peyman Farahavar has been held in Lakan Prison in the northern Iranian city of Rasht for over seven months without formal charges or judicial proceedings. During this time, he has been denied access to proper medical care despite suffering from serious health issues. Farahavar, 36, underwent gallbladder surgery in the past and has recently been experiencing severe abdominal pain for more than a month. According to reports, medical professionals have determined that an ultrasound is necessary to accurately assess his condition. However, prison authorities have refused to transfer him to an external medical facility, instead limiting his treatment to the administration of painkillers.